It is known to fabricate safety-edge constructions for doors, alarm switches and the like of relatively soft, resiliently yieldable material, such as plastic foam. The material is capable of being structurally formed in cooperative relation with desired actuating means to obtain a high degree of sensitivity and reliability.
Generally, in switches of this type, there is required a highly localized deflection to operate the switch. Even a substantial force or weight may not be sufficient to actuate such a switch, if the force or weight was distributed over a substantial area. In an attempt to obviate this problem, such switches often include internal protrusions for locally enhancing internal forces reacting to an external weight. This structure added to cost of the materials, complexity of manufacture, and often inhibited or reduced flexibility and, therefore, requires additional space for shipping and storage.
Consequently, a need has arisen for a highly sensitive switch which actuates a device upon a very slight force being applied thereto. There further exists a need for such a highly sensitive switch which can be easily and readily manufactured without incurring prohibitive manufacturing costs.
The present invention is directed to a highly sensitive switch which actuates a device upon a small force being applied thereto. The switch of the present invention is relatively compact and can include adhesive on one side so that it may be retrofitted to any existing structure and the other side can include instructions or decorative markings. In addition, the present invention overcomes the problems inherent in the manufacturing of the prior art switches by placing the layers of the switch together in a specified arrangement and merely welding the lateral edges and trimming the excess off of the edges to thereby form a switch. Consequently, the manufacturing process of the present invention results in considerable savings of money and time for manufacture.